It's Her Party
by Anistan Summers
Summary: DESIGNING WOMEN Julia, Charlene, Mary Jo and Suzanne all attend a sweet sixteenth birthday party.


**It's Her Party**

"Charlene," Julia removed the thin framed glasses from her face, "did Mrs. Barns drop off the payment for the antique silk wallpaper?"

"Yes she did. I laid it under the phone on your desk." Charlene answered.

"Hey everyone." Mary Jo entered Sugarbaker's, "I'm afraid I've got some bad news. Do you remember Judy Caskey? We decorated her daughter's bedroom about two years ago?"

"Yes, and I vaguely recall a five hundred dollar dollhouse that she purchased to go in that same room and that didn't include the costs for furniture and accessories for it." Julia said as she flipped through the stack of mail on her desk.

"Well ya know I think that was the prettiest dollhouse I'd ever seen," Charlene recalled, "Judy even ordered a real china set for the dolls."

"Yes," Mary Jo said as she hung her black coat on the coat rack.

"If ya ask me, I think that dollhouse was just a big waste of money," Suzanne sat properly on the couch, filing her nails. "I mean, there's just so much more you could do with that kinda money."

"I agree," Charlene said, "There's so many poor families out there that would do anything for that kind of money, even homeless people that can't afford anything. Can ya'll imagine not bein' able to afford somethin' as cheap as a candy bar or even a can of green beans?"

"Well," Suzanne replied, "I just meant she could, oh I dunno, go on a shoppin' spree or somethin'."

"Anyway," Mary Jo continued, "She died yesterday."

"What?" Julia was in disbelief.

"Oh that's terrible," Charlene said, "What happened?"

"She had inflammatory breast cancer," Mary Jo answered as she approached her desk. "She underwent treatment but it didn't do any good. The doctor said it was like trying to put out an underground wildfire. They just never knew where it was going to pop up next."

"I just feel so horrible for that little girl," Julia placed her hand on her chest, "she can't be more than seven or eight years old."

"I ran into Judy's mother in law at the supermarket last night," Mary Jo said.

"Well, I think we should at least go to the visitation," Julia suggested as she gracefully strutted over to the couch.

"She was so sweet,' Charlene's voice lowered, "Ya know, anyone who knew her was lucky. I tell ya, she would do anything for anybody."

"The world would probably be a lot better off if more people like her were in it," Mary Jo added.

"I can't even imagine what it would've been like to have grown up without one of my parents. Especially my Mama.' Charlene said right as the front door opened.

"Good morning, Anthony," Julia said as she took a seat on the couch next to Suzanne.

"Hello Julia. How is everyone this morning?" Anthony said as he shut the door behind him.

"Not so good," Mary Jo said, "Judy Caskey died."

"That's awful," Anthony frowned.

"Visitation is tonight if you want to come with us," Mary Jo informed.

"Yeah," Anthony slowly rubbed his hands together, "I do believe I'll go."

"Let's just send flowers," Suzanne blurted out.

"Listen, I hate to sound uncaring," Anthony said as he hurried across the room, "but I'm just gonna grab some coffee and hit the road. I've got three deliveries to make before noon."

"That's fine Anthony," Julia kindly said, "You're not being uncaring."

Later that night, they all met at Julia's house and then drove from there to the funeral home. None of them had ever seen anything like it. The walls were overly crowded with floral arrangements and other gifts – symbols of sympathy from countless people. Friends, family members and other acquaintances waited patiently in line to offer their condolences. It was obvious that Judy was very much loved and would be greatly missed. Across the room, Judy's little girl sat alone. She would've done anything to have her mother back and to have things back to normal, back to way they were when she was still alive and healthy.

"If there's anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask," Julia said to Judy's husband.

"Thank you," He said as he extended his trembling hand, "Actually there is one thing."

"Anything at all," Julia said as she gently patted the man's hand.

"I have to meet with some lawyers the day after tomorrow to go over Judy's will. Would it be too much to ask-,"

"Just bring her by," Julia smiled a warm smile.

"Thank you," He smiled back, "I'd really appreciate it."

The day of the funeral passed and along came the day for Judy's husband to meet with the lawyers. Julia anticipated the little girl's arrival. Her father called and said that he would be dropping her off shortly.

"I just can't get over the number of people who were at the visitation," Mary Jo said as she organized material samples.

"Well," Julia carefully walked over to the coffee table, carrying a silver tray, "At least now she's at peace."

Julia sat the silver tray down on the table. On it sat a plate of freshly baked sugar cookies and a tea pot, full of hot cocoa. The front door opened and in walked the little girl and her father.

He hugged the little girl tightly, kissed her good bye and assured her that he would be back soon. Julia found several things to keep the little girl entertained until he returned. The father offered to pay Julia for babysitting but she refused.

A few weeks passed and life went on. It was an early sunny afternoon at Sugarbaker's. Charlene came in with a hand full of daily mail.

"Here ya go Julia," Charlene handed her the mail.

"Charlene," Julia said, "is everything alright? You seem a little down."

"Oh, no it's nothin'." Charlene said as she sat back down at her desk, "I was just kinda hopin' that my National Enquirer came in."

"Charlene I just can't believe you buy that garbage," Suzanne said after taking a sip of her freshly brewed coffee.

"Because I just think it's interestin'." Charlene answered.

"They come up with some of the craziest stories for that magazine." Mary Jo said from behind the counter. "I went in to pay for some gas the other day, and I saw one that said Bat Boy Found in Cave in big bold letters. And then it had a picture of this boy with pointy ears and fangs."

"It seems as though we've been invited to a sweet sixteen birthday party," Julia said as she tossed the invitation down onto the coffee table.

"Really?" Charlene asked.

"Yes," Julia said as she took a seat on the couch.

"Who's party is it?" Charlene asked as she walked over and picked up the invitation.

She took a seat in a chair near the couch.

"It's from Angelina Chainy. She's throwing a party for her daughter, Sophie." Julia said as she placed her glasses on her thin nose.

"Oh she's a real brat,' Suzanne said with a hand motion.

"Suzanne," Julia scolded her sister.

"Well I'm sorry," Suzanne snapped, "We decorated their living room and I just tell ya I've never heard a child talk so bad to her mother in my life. I can't imagine what would've happened to us if we would've told mother to shut up. But ya know, I guess little Sophie gets what Sophie wants."

"The theme is Moulin Rouge. How neat!" Charlene's eyes lit up as she read over the invitation. "Have ya'll ever seen anything like this?" Charlene held up the invitation which was actually a red feathered hand fan.

"Kids are doing such outrageous things for their birthday's these days," Mary Jo said.

"I know what you mean. Have ya'll ever seen the Sweet Sixteen Chronicles? It's a show that features a different sweet sixteen party every week. It's on one of those music television channels. I saw one the other night where these parents spent over two hundred thousand dollars on their daughter's sweet sixteenth birthday.." Charlene said as she gently folded and unfolded the fan invitation.

"What happened to cake and ice cream with just a few friends?" Mary Jo sat down in the chair opposite of Charlene.

"Well I for one will certainly not be attending Sophie's party," Julia rushed over to her desk to answer the ringing phone.

"Oh Julia come on," Charlene encouraged, "It might be fun."

"Charlene, if I had wanted to be around an ungrateful child, I would've gone into the field of child care instead of interior decorating," Julia said right before picking up the phone.

"Well count me in," Suzanne said.

"You just called the party girl a brat," Mary Jo pointed out.

"So?' Suzanne snapped, "What's that got to do with anything? Besides, I wanna get back at her for makin' that little bacon crack about Noel at the Dairy Queen."

"Okay, thank you," Julia hung up the phone and resumed her seat on the couch.

"What about you Mary Jo. Are you gonna go?" Charlene asked.

"Oh," Mary Jo smiled, "Why not?"

"Well that makes three of us,' Charlene looked at Julia.

"I'm not goin'. You three are on your own." Julia said as she crossed her legs.

"Oh Julia, come on," Mary Jo said, "don't be such a wet blanket."

"A wet blanket?" Julia was slightly offended, "I beg your pardon."

"Just come with us and have some fun. That's all I'm saying." Mary Jo said.

"Oh don't beat around the bush." Suzanne said as she sat her coffee cup down on the coffee table in front of her. "What Mary Jo is trying to say is that you're boring."

"I most certainly am not," Julia defended herself.

"Sure ya are," Suzanne argued, "Your idea of fun is goin' out and rentin' a movie. I mean come on. Live a little."

"Oh alright," Julia stood up. "I'll go."

Meanwhile as the party date approached, Sophie and Angelina Chainy were on the quest for the perfect party dress.

"Mom just let me do the talking and keep your mouth shut as much as possible, okay?" Sophie said as she opened the door to a fancy boutique.

Two clerks greeted them as they walked in and asked Sophie if she had any idea of what she was looking for. She demanded to have something in either pink or turquoise, preferably strapless. It took all the strength that both clerks had to keep their mouth from dropping open. They couldn't believe that Sophie wanted something strapless, considering she was way on the chunky side.

"Sophie," Her mother held up a strapless turquoise dress, "Maybe you should try this one on."

"I don't like it," Sophie snapped and turned her nose up.

"Well maybe you might like it after you have it on-," Her mother was interrupted.

"Mom, can you just shut up for like two seconds?" Sophie said, holding her cell phone in one hand and chopping the air with the other. "Just go sit down on that little couch thing over there."

"But-," Her mother tried to speak again.

"Go! Now!" Sophie yelled at her mother like a dog.

Her mother hung the dress back up on the rack and did as Sophie requested.

"She's so annoying," Sophie told the clerks that were helping her.

The night of the party had arrived. Julia and Suzanne agreed to just meet Mary Jo and Charlene in the parking lot of where the party was taking place.

"Now Julia," Suzanne said as they pulled into the parking lot next to Mary Jo's car, "don't draw attention to yourself tonight."

"I'm not going to draw attention to myself, Suzanne. But thank you for your concern." Julia said.

"Oh I wasn't concerned," Suzanne said innocently, "I just know how you get. Don't forget our invitation. We can't get in without it."

"Oh gee, that would be just tragic," Julia said sarcastically.

The four of them met up and showed their invitation to the guard at the door, who then checked to see if their names were on the list.

"Go ahead," The guard said as he unhooked the red velvet rope.

And so they entered.

"Can you believe this?" Mary Jo shouted over the music, "It's like another world in here."

Kan – Kan dancers performed on a huge stage in the front of the room. They linked arms and formed a circle and around they went. Their actions were coordinated perfectly with the appropriate Kan – Kan music. Right as the song ended, the dancers broke apart and Sophie appeared in the middle of them. Everyone in the crowd screamed and cheered.

"Let's go get some punch," Charlene said to Mary Jo.

As Charlene and Mary Jo excused themselves to the punch bowl, Suzanne excused herself to the ladies room to powder her nose.

"Let's party!" Sophie shouted through a microphone.

The music immediately started back up and Sophie jumped off of the stage and into the crowd and started dancing with her friends. Julia watched in the distance as Sophie's mother smiled, made her way through the crowd, and started dancing next to her daughter. A disgusted look flooded Sophie's face. She grabbed her mother firmly by the arm and pulled her out and away from the crowd. Sophie let go of her mother's arm and faced her.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sophie placed her chubby hand on her hip.

"I was just trying to dance with you," Her mother calmly tried to explain.

"Well don't!" Sophie yelled once again.

From where Julia was standing, she could see and hear everything that Sophie and her mother did and said. When she overheard the tone of voice that Sophie was using while talking to her mother, she felt the blood in her veins begin to boil. The thought of Judy's little girl also ran through her mind.

"Mom, why don't you just go find a place to sit down and stay there until the party is over?" Sophie demanded, "I don't want you embarrassing me anymore tonight."

"Okay," Her mother's eyes filled with tears as she walked away.

Julia just couldn't help herself. So she approached Sophie.

"Excuse me, Sophie?' Julia asked calmly.

"Oh, hello there Ms…..?" Sophie asked. She had no clue as to who Julia was.

"You don't need to know who I am. It isn't necessary." Julia said as she tucked her handbag under her right arm. "But I couldn't help but to hear the way that you just talked to your mother."

"Look lady," Sophie said as she rolled her eyes, "I know how to handle my mom. I don't need a lecture from you."

"Oh but I believe you do," Julia stepped closer, "In all of my years, I have never seen such an ungrateful little brat."

Sophie's mouth dropped open.

"That's right, Sophie," Julia said, drawing out every syllable in Sophie's name, "I called you a brat. Last week, a little girl's mother died and she's only eight. Her mother didn't get to live to see or to give her a sixteenth birthday. So before you talk to your mother like an animal again, I suggest you count your blessings. Be thankful you have a mother who cares about you. And lose the attitude before someone slaps it out of you."

Julia started to walk off, but she turned back around for one second.

"By the way," Julia smiled and sly smile, "Happy Birthday."

Julia left the party early.

"How was the party?" Julia asked as Charlene and Mary Jo came in the next morning.

"Well you didn't miss much," Mary Jo said. "The dancing got a bit raunchy after a while."

"I think I might have been a little out of line last night," Julia admitted.

"Oh no Julia. I think what you did was great. Someone needed to put her in her place. And her mother wasn't going to do it anytime soon." Charlene said.

"Yeah I guess you're right," Julia realized, "One thing is for sure. I'll think twice before I attend another sweet sixteenth birthday party again."


End file.
